We Can Beat This Lot
Last Thursday, Fergal highlighted 21st Century Ireland's shameful failure to preserve the more "embarrassing" aspects of its (often spotty) football history. Focusing on "We are the Boys in Green" (Ireland's official song for Euro 88), he bemoaned the fact that he couldn't "even find the lyrics for the song, let alone a video" online.
In an attempt to remedy this lack of archival spirit I went off and had a determined root through the forgotten boxes at the back of the internet's attic. While the original (Euro 88) version of the song continues to prove elusive, I was able to dig out the Dublin City Ramblers' 1990 (World Cup) update. Listen, learn & sing along:
Though The Ramblers' website does note that, "among their many ardent fans are…ex-Republic of Ireland managers, Eoin Hand, Johnny Giles & Jack Charlton", I find no mention of "Boys in Green" – an odd omission given that it is (surely) their most significant contribution to Irish popular culture.1
Anyhoo, for those eager to do a spot of Super Euro Soccer Party karaoke (surely everyone), then here are the 1990 lyrics -
We are the Boys in Green,
The best you've ever seen.
We've just made history,
We're going to Italy.
We had to wait till now,
Big Jack he showed us how.
You'll wonder where we've been,
When you see the Boys in Green.[Chorus]
And you'll say -
"Ireland, Ireland – show them what you've got".
"Ireland, Ireland – we're going to beat the lot".
You'll say -
"Ireland, Ireland – we're on the way to Rome".
"Ireland, Ireland – to bring the World Cup home".We are the Boys in Green,
We'll be on your TV screens.
Everyone will see,
Our lads in Italy.
We have a lot to prove,
Big Jack, he's found the groove.
You'll wonder where we’ve been,
When you see the Boys in Green.[Repeat Chorus]
We are the Boys in Green,
And now we've set the scene,
For Italy next June,
It can't come too soon.
We're going to sing our song,
And you can sing along.
You'll wonder where we've been,
When you see the boys in green.[Repeat Chorus]
Though I, like Fergal, am relying on a fairly shaky memory – I'm fairly sure the above matches the Euro 88 version pretty closely. "Italy" has, of course, to be replaced with "Germany", while the following…
"Ireland, Ireland – we're on the way to Rome".
"Ireland, Ireland – to bring the World Cup home".
…should be substituted (I think) with…
"Ireland, Ireland – we will celebrate".
"Ireland, Ireland – In Euro Eighty-Eight".
Other than that the differences are pretty minor, though I found the subtle shift from "We can beat this lot" to "We're going to beat the lot" somehow disappointing. "We can beat this lot" seemed to both (tacitly) acknowledge the fact that the rest of Europe thought Ireland were a bit rubbish, while (simultaneously) seeming to say, "Well…they may be right. But 'Fuck it!', we've nothing to lose. Let's just go for it".2
Two years later, with expectations heightened, "We're going to beat the lot" spoke of a rather less charming and inflated sense of self-worth/entitlement. As it turned out, of course, we didn't really beat anybody (except on penalties) – but still stumbled our way into the quarter-finals. Though Roy Keane would no doubt kick my head in for saying so, I'll take the tentatively "confident" sentiment of 1988 any day.
Finally, in response to Fergal's observation that…
"…for some of us, the three, seemingly random words 'Penney's Winning Team' will always evoke a shudder"
…this monstrosity is dedicated to him:
Packie Bonner, Paul McGrath,
Ireland have the best by far!
Whelan, Houghton, Cascarino,
They're just three of Ireland’s heroes!
We don't care who'll be there,
Rudi Gullit, Maraaadonnaa!!
Sweet footballin' Jesus…
- "Significant" in terms of impact, if not (exactly) quality. [back]
- It also seems a very "Jack Charlton" sentiment (in a good way). [back]
June 3, 2008
5 responses to We Can Beat This Lot
“this monstrosity is dedicated to him”
You shouldn’t have. Really.
Unspeakable though the song is, the full horror was really brought home by a “live” performance by the Winning Team on the Late Late. Is my memory messin’ with me or did the Team not feature Twink and Ronan Collins? I have vague images at the back of my mind of the pair of them (and others?) cavorting on the Late Late stage, decked head to toe in cheap Penney’s World Cup regalia. For that was the whole point of the song; it was both an ad for the tat on sale in Penney’s and a piece of shoddy football merchandise in its own right.
Not sure I can agree with your interpretation of the “this lot/the lot” switch. I’ll grant you the former had a touch of “come on lads, you can do it” have-a-go enthusiasm, but I always thought that the phrase “this lot” betrayed an unearned contempt for the opposition.
I sincerely hope your memory is messin’ with you…for you’ve just painted a picture straight out of the innermost circle of hell. Happily, I don’t recall any such (bedecked in Penney’s tat) cavorting. If I did I’d have attempted a crude self-lobotomy to purge the images from my brain.
I see what you mean but I think “contempt” is over-stating it a tad. I’d describe it more as the cheeky bluster of the underdog.
Although…given that our first opponents in Euro 88 were (of course) our pals across the Irish Sea, you may be on to something. I well remember Jack (with hands in pockets) chatting to Gay Byrne on d’Late Late and being asked if we had any chance at all (at all) of beating England. Jack shrugged, and gave a “We’ll give it a go” answer.
Coming from most people this mightn’t have seemed too confidence-inspiring. Coming from Jack it carried a sly air of “Just you wait and see”.
Euro 88 was in germany!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ‘weve just made history now were off to germany’………………….. ‘ireland ireland we will celebrate, ireland ireland in euro 88′
yes i do know about italia 90 but this was not a recognised song for this
FOUND THE SONG “WE ARE THE BOYS IN GREEN”